Ricardo Teixeira for Pinkdaisy Weddings captures Courtney and Dean’s wedding with a beautiful Photojournalistic and candid approach at Berkeley Fieldhouse.

You took some lovely getting ready pictures of the couple at the Berkeley Fieldhouse. They capture the energy and feeling of the day so effectively. What was your approach?

For the getting really photos I usually have a photojournalist/candid approach. I try to be the least intrusive as possible and try capture the moments as naturally as possible.

I like to start the day by arriving before the scheduled time, meet everyone, and chat with bride and groom to discuss any last minute changes. From here I get a feeling of the energy and then ease my way into photographing!

What made you the happiest about this wedding day when you were editing the photographs?

This wedding was a lot of fun to photograph, and editing the detail and candid shots was my favourite part of the post production. Knowing that Courtney and Dean will remember their unique wedding day through my photographs is a great feeling.

What are some of the key conversations you like to have with your clients before their big day?

One of the most important aspects of preparing to photograph a wedding is to understand the couple’s vision for their wedding so I ensure I capture the moments, people and details that they will want to revisit through their wedding album for years to come.

The wedding day schedule may be an obvious conversation, but one of the most important – it is what will set the rhythm of the day, and allows me to organize my ideas, the ‘shot’ list, and any technical details such as extra equipment. Alternating seamlessly between cameras, flashes, lighting and even changing batteries requires thoughtful preparation.

Anticipating the types of lighting (indoor, outdoor, time of day) and how much light I have to work with will also greatly affect how I prepare.

I usually have several thorough conversations with the couple leading up to the wedding day, and I like to discuss all of the details of the wedding day even if they are not photography related. I want to be prepared with a well rounded understanding of traditions, unique details, and the bride & groom’s personalities.

How would you describe the wedding style of Courtney and Dean’s big day and what was your strategy for capturing it so beautifully?

I would describe it as a fun, whimsical and intimate wedding. I followed Courtney and Dean’s lead which allowed their personalities to shine through.

What are some of the benefits from a photographic perspective of having an intimate wedding?

I enjoy photographing intimate weddings because you can really sense the connections between the couple with their family and friends, and it adds so much warmth and emotion to the photographs. Intimate weddings allow me to place more of my focus on details and more shots of the couple, since there are fewer people and less distractions. This also gives me more freedom to be creative in the moment, and who doesn’t love that?

The wedding had a lovely family centred intimate fun casual feeling to it while still being stylish and romantic. How do you think all these elements were accomplished?

Courtney and Dean’s wedding had very stylish decor and they chose to incorporate unique personal details. Every little thing they included in their wedding was a reflection of their personalities and relationship. The intimate venue helped bring everything together to create a perfect day for the couple and guests.

You fully utilized the setting of the Berkeley Fieldhouse finding fun and whimsical spots for the wedding day portraits. How do you accomplish this so effectively?

The venue has a lot of charm and unique features which allowed me to compose interesting portraits and frame the couple in unique ways. I let myself be inspired by how the couple interacted with each other and their surroundings – Courtney and Dean made it easy!

Courtney and Dean had so many unique wedding day details. How did you prepare to capture them so effectively and beautifully?

I always make time to talk to the vendors and to go through all the details before I start to photograph. Courtney and Dean put a lot of work in their wedding details and I made sure to capture everything.

The wedding ceremony and reception took place in the daytime with an abundance of natural light in the Berkeley Fieldhouse venue. How important was this to the couple and how did you maximize this lighting in your photographs.

The light during the ceremony was a perfect combination of soft light and enough contrast to allow me to focus more on composition and worry less about adding complimentary lighting. We definitely lucked out with the weather that day.

What were some of the priorities that the wedding couple had for their big day and how did you support these choices in capturing the wedding day?

Courtney and Dean wanted to ensure everyone had fun, and included their closest family & friends in the entire day. I ensured I captured everyone sharing in the fun, laughter, dancing and emotional moments. I was mindful to catch the big moments, and kept a keen eye out for the spur of the moment photo opportunities, and the more subtle but expressive exchanges between the couple and guests.